Chapter 16: Trap

Chapter 16: Trap

The district gates swung open, allowing Su Ping and Grace Wang to enter. The moment they crossed the threshold, Su Ping leaned in, his voice a hushed whisper against Grace Wang's ear. "Congratulations, Grace Wang, you're free." His words hung in the air for a moment, and then, as if dissolving into the shadows, Su Ping vanished, leaving Grace Wang standing there, feeling a sudden void beside her.

Grace Wang was taken aback, her mind racing with confusion. Why had Su Ping let her go so easily? The same Su Ping who had shown no hesitation in dispatching Jonathan Chu and the others. She couldn't reconcile this sudden act of mercy with the ruthless Su Ping she had witnessed moments ago. A flicker of hope sparked within her – could he possibly be considering a reconciliation, a resurrection of the relationship they once had? Yes, that must be it! Otherwise, why would he spare her without even attempting to extract points from her?

While Grace Wang entertained these thoughts, Su Ping, if he were present, would have found amusement in her naivety. His indifference to her musings was apparent, but he did catch snippets of conversations outside the district.

At the betting stand organized by the three major corporations, a mysterious figure cloaked in black confidently approached the counter. "I'm betting thirty thousand points on Su Ping's safe return!" he proclaimed, sending shockwaves through the crowd.

"Thirty thousand points for Su Ping?! Is this guy crazy?"

"Some people clearly have too many points on their hands!"

"What a fool! It's already the third day of the hunt, and there's almost no chance for Su Ping by now."

The onlookers' taunts did little to deter the mysterious man. He slammed a card onto the counter, challenging the bookkeepers, "What's the matter? Aren't you going to accept my bet?" The bookkeeper, unfazed, assured him that bets would be accepted until 5 PM.

Meanwhile, Adrian Chu, a handsome hunter fixated on the direction the mysterious man had left, stepped forward. "Ten thousand points to that Su Ping fellow," he casually declared, sparking another round of discussions.

"Adrian Chu? The second-ranked hunter on the gene leaderboard!"

"Why would Adrian Chu bet on Su Ping? Did he receive some news?"

Adrian Chu's action prompted a few hunters to consider mimicking his bet. However, he quickly clarified, "Friends, I haven't heard anything! I'm just placing this bet on a whim. I don't care if you mimic me, but don't blame me if you lose!"

As Adrian Chu left, the bookkeepers from the three corporations, who had been smiling earlier, started packing up, causing confusion among the gamblers.

"Why are you packing up early? The betting should be open until 5 PM!"

"That's right! You can't just back out now!"

The head bookkeeper explained politely, "We're just following orders. We suspect it's a matter of risk, with tens of millions of points in the betting pool."

Amidst the commotion, Donovan Qin, clad in jet-black armor, approached and placed a bold bet of three hundred thousand points on the demise of the one who angered Su Ping. He warned the bookkeepers to issue a receipt or face consequences.

After Donovan Qin, Seraphina Yun, the top player on the gene leaderboard, stepped up, betting ten thousand points that the one facing Jonathan Chu would survive. Her unexpected move created a buzz, as she openly opposed Donovan Qin without any hidden information.

Donovan Qin, despite his boastful tone, couldn't afford to offend Seraphina Yun. The head bookkeeper quickly handed her a receipt, and she left with indifference.

As the top two hunters departed, the betting continued with other high-ranking hunters joining in. The bookkeepers finally managed to leave, but the crowd remained abuzz with excitement.

However, the atmosphere shifted ten minutes later when the news broke—Grace Wang had returned alone. The gamblers swarmed her, eager to know the outcome of the bet.

Guards from the Dusksteel district's artificial intelligence intervened, blocking the crowd. Grace Wang, under their protection, was taken to the Dusksteel Inn, the district's highest-class establishment.

The artificial intelligence relayed a message on Grace Wang's behalf, explaining that she needed time to process her recent experiences. At 8 PM, the outcome of the bet would be announced, leaving the crowd in suspense.

It was at this moment that Grace Wang finally grasped Su Ping's intentions for her. The realization struck her with a mix of emotions—gratitude, confusion, and curiosity. She wondered what Su Ping had planned and why he had chosen to release her without conditions. The enigma surrounding Su Ping deepened, leaving Grace Wang with more questions than answers.